Seven Bridges Road located in Duluth, Minnesota is one of the more beautiful drives within the city. This 4 mile stretch of road intertwines with Amity Creek, the western branch of the Lester River, as it winds its way through a pine, poplar and birch forest on its way out to Lake Superior. A beautiful stone arch bridge has been constructed at each location were the road intersects the creek. All matching, there are seven bridges to cross along the way.

The beginning of the waterfall, The Deeps, at Lester Park.

Finding Seven Bridges Road:

If you drive Seven Bridges Road the way it was intended, you will follow the Amity Creek upstream. Start at Occidental Boulevard on the west side of Lester Park, the road will change to Seven Bridges Road as it curves to cross the first bridge.

Driving it the other direction, you can access the road from Duluth’s more well know Skyline Parkway. Seven Bridges Road serves as the eastern terminus for that drive. Just take East Skyline Parkway from Glenwood Street, driving past Hawks Ridge.

A Little History:

The road was originally conceived by Samuel Frisby Snively, a local lawyer and real estate developer. Snively is largely remembered for being the longest running mayor in Duluth’s history, holding the job for 16 years from 1921-1937.

Snively owned a large 400 acre farm above the Duluth suburbs of Lester Park and Lakeside and he often hiked the hills around his farm. He was always very fond of following Amity Creek as it wound its way through rhyolite gorges and basalt ledges creating numerous waterfalls on its descent to Lake Superior.

When plotting the road, Snively walked the hillside to find the most scenic route without any consideration for the ease of construction.

Samuel Snively donated sixty acres of his own property and contacted the other landowners in the area to get all the necessary right of ways through their property for the road. After raising funds, the road was started in 1899.

One of the many hiking trails along Seven Bridges Road.

Snively started the construction of the road north from Lester Park. It was very costly and difficult to build, since many trees and stumps had to be removed and many long tall bridges built to cross Amity Creek. There were 10 bridges planned, all very rustically built out of wood. After about two and a half miles, Snively ran out of money and halted work. Luckily, enough of the road was completed to allow the people of Duluth to see the project and experiencing the beauty of the drive. They began contributing money to aid in its completion.

Once completed, Snively donated the road to the city of Duluth as a gift. The road was extremely popular with the locals as a scenic parkway. Sadly, it was not maintained and within 10 years those wooden bridges were in such disrepair that the road was impassable to vehicles.

In 1910, the road was turned over to Duluth’s park commission for management. They devised a new plan to save the road. Morell & Nichols, an architectural and landscape firm out of Minneapolis was hired to redesign the bridges.

The firm proposed the bridges all be matching and in the filled-spandrel barrel-arch design constructed out of reinforced-concrete. They would have a Neoclassical stylistic treatment and be decoratively faced with native basalt and bluestone that would be collected locally from the creek beds or blasted from nearby outcrops. The bridges would be capped with pink opal granite to be quarried in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

In 1911, the road was regraded and graveled. Several of Duluth finest stone masons were hired to simultaneously build all the bridges. The number of bridges planned was reduced to nine; the tenth bridge was simplified since it simply connected the parkway to the driveway at Snively’s farm.

Snively’s road was renamed Amity Parkway and reopened on July 6, 1912. It once again became a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Beautifully landscaped, the drive presented many scenic sights along the creek. Flowers lined much of the drive’s curves in spring and summer and the fall colors through the forest were spectacular.

My favorite bridge along the drive, number 6.

In 1939, with the completion of the Hawk Ridge extension, Amity Parkway was finally connected to Skyline Parkway. This led to some navigational changes to the road and it was diverted around two of the bridges from Snively’s original roadway.

These two bridges still exist and can be visited, they are part of a hiking and cross country ski trail through Hawks Ridge. #8 and #9 can be found just off the parking lot on the right side of the road after crossing bridge #7.

It's just a short hike from the parking lot to visit bridges number 8 and 9.

Bridge #8. It is said that three of the bridges are still original but bridges number 8 and 9 are the only ones that are completely original.

The seven bridges that are still in use were once again restored in the mid-1990s. Work was done in order from most damaged to least and completed in 1997.

The final bridge on the drive. Number 7, looks to be one of the most recently renovated bridges.

Definitely, consider Seven Bridges Road a “must see” if you are visiting Duluth and the Lake Superior North Shore. The drive is beautiful in every season! In summer, you’ll find the busiest spots at the first bridge waterfall called The Deeps and at Bridge #6 were there is a popular swimming hole. In winter, Seven Bridges Road left alone, blocked off and open for snowshoes and skiers. Don't just drive it, get out and explore a bit!

Be sure to watch for joggers and hikers along the drive.

About the Photographer

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

You will find more image from Seven Bridges Road and the Minnesota North Shore in the Minnesota Collection.

See anything you like? Susan's work is available for purchase in The Art Gallery.All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

Bentleyville late on opening night. I tried to resist but broke down an hour before close and made my first visit.

Whether it’s an over the top home display like in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation or the professional wonderland of Walt Disney World, nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit better than a good ole Christmas light display!

I grew up in the small town in southern Illinois that is known for Candy Cane Lane so a trip to “see the lights” is something I just HAVE to do at least once a year. Call it an addiction if you must, but I’ve gone as far as Niagara Falls, Canada not for that famous waterfall but to see the "Winter Festival of Lights".

So, when we pulled into Duluth, Minnesota back in late summer and I immediately began to see the requests on social media for volunteers to set up for the Bentleyville "Tour of Lights", my excitement started to build. Not only would I have a Christmas light display in town, but it was going to be in walking distance!

The Bentleyville "Tour of Lights" opened on November 17th, I was there opening night and twice just this week. I never expected anything as elaborate and beautifully done as this! It really is magical! With every visit, I'm in awe and manage to see something new.

Bentleyville is located in Bayfront Festival Park right on Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota.

Some of the facts on the right are staggering! Here's a few more things that might be of interest:

It's advertised as "America's largest walk-through Christmas Light display". I believe it! It's big. They used the entire 20 acre Bayfront Park for the display. All walkways are level and handicapped accessible.

It's a FREE event. Not only is there free admission, but the hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn and marshmallows are all complimentary. They accept the donation of non perishable foods and new unwrapped toys for those in need but it's not a requirement to get in. It's free to visit both Santa and Mrs. Claus until December 23, too.

Closing night, Bentleyville will go out with a bang! They have a fireworks display scheduled for 6:30pm that night.

I like to use the CROWD-O-METER on Bentleyville's website to determine when to visit. I prefer to go on slow nights since they are really packed on the weekends.

During the 2018 season, Bentleyvilleis open seven days a week from November 17 - December 26. On Friday and Saturday, the hours are 5pm to 10pm. The rest of the week they close at 9pm.

An aerial view of the Bentleyville "Tour of Lights"

Look at that Christmas Tree! It is 128’ feet tall and is covered with 150,000 LED lights The lights dance to the music making it a lot of fun to watch.

Bentleyville "Tour of Lights" from across the Duluth Harbor.

It’s an interesting story, how Bentleyville came to be...

Although, Bentleyville is now in its 15th year, it has only been located in the Bayfront Festival Park for the last ten. The origin of this light display actually began in the front yard of Nathan Bentley’s home in Esko, Minnesota. For two years, his home was known as the “House with all the lights in Esko”. Originally a “drive through” display, he changed it to a “walkthrough” display with Santa visiting on the weekends in 2003. As the display evolved and became more elaborate, Mr. Bentley’s friends began sarcastically call it “Bentleyville” in reference to the town of Whoville from Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The name just sort of stuck when even the visitors began calling it Bentleyville, too.

One of the many beautifully decorated walkways at Bentleyville "Tour of Lights".

In 2004, when Bentley and his family moved to Cloquet, Minnesota, the display had to become even grander in order to entice people to drive all the way out into the country to visit it. Santa became a nightly guest, handing out free winter hats and bags of cookies to the children. Nathan added fire pits for roasting marshmallows, paved the walking paths, added a cookie house, a popcorn building and started a food and toy drive to collect for the Salvation Army. Two years later, close to 35,000 people were visiting Bentleyville each Christmas and the neighbors were not very happy about the traffic congestion and parking issues on what had once been a quiet dead-end county dirt road. Nathan built parking lots in some of the neighbor’s fields and started busing people in.

The first of two giant Christmas ornaments for photo ops.

After 5 years, of hosting Bentleyville at his home, and transporting over 72,000 people back in forth to the event, Nathan decided to take a year off in 2008 to “re-think Bentleyville”. That fall, the city of Duluth proposed Bayfront Festival Park as the new location and Nathan accepted a one year trial. The Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” greeted visitors at Bayfront Park for the first time on November 27, 2009 and the rest is history….

Here's the second Giant Christmas ornament. I was told the Popcorn stand is new this year. When you visit, take a closer look, the Elves make popcorn up top are too cute!

The next images are of some of my favorite displays at the Bentleyville "Tour of Lights".I'll leave the rest for you to experience for yourself!

Today, Bentleyville invests $150,000 each year on additions to the display, on replacing lights and on new and exciting ideas for captivating its audience. Santa and Mrs. Claus now skydive in on opening night and fireworks are the grand finale on the last night of the season.

This is no longer Nathan Bentley’s 2 month hobby. It is a year around enterprise. He's out at Bentleyville every night. He’s the guy strolling around in a red staff coat and a red ball cap that says “Mayor Bentley”.

At the time of this posting, the Bentleyville "Tour of Lights is ranked #1 out of 20 for "Best Public Holiday Lights Display" in the USA Today "10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2018". Voting ends on December 10, 2018. Winners will be announced on the USA Today website on December 21. If you would like to vote or check out the winners, click HERE.

Today, it was also announced that Bentleyville will be on ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight" TV Show sometime in the 2019 season. The exact air date has not yet been announced but here's the article in the Duluth News Tribune.

As a side note, Candy Cane Lane in my hometown Christmas light display was shot for "The Great Christmas Light Fight" this year, as well. That episode will air on December 9th, 2019. My fingers are crossed that they will not be in the same episode. I want them both to win!

Boy, it's going to be a long year!

About the Photographer

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

One of my favorite places to see waterfalls in northwest Wisconsin is Amnicon Falls State Park. Located 15 miles east of Superior, Wisconsin near Lake Superior, it is one of the easiest places to visit waterfalls on the Lake Superior Waterfall Tour.

This is a small park, with only 2.4 miles of hiking trails. The best part of the trail, a 1/4 mile easy loop, is right off the parking lot. This is where you will find four named waterfalls, three smaller unnamed falls and a historic bridge. None of these waterfalls are very large but they are all very picturesque. The park is small enough to see the highlights in under an hour; but, if you are a true waterfall lover, bring your lunch, you could easily spend most of a day.

Upper Amnicon Falls

The road into the park follows along the side of the Amnicon River. You can see the Upper Falls right from the parking lot.

The main drop of the Upper Falls is only about 15 feet. I have never been here in the heat of summer, but I've been told that you can swim in the plunge pool if the water is calm and that it's possible to swim behind this waterfall.

Upper Amnicon Falls

Horton Covered Bridge is how you cross the Amnicon River to the island. This bridge provides spectacular views of the Upper Falls from below and the Lower Falls from above.

The Horton Bridge is a historically significant bridge to the state of Wisconsin. Charles Horton from La Crosse, Wisconisn, is the original patent holder for the bowstring bridge design. There are only five other surviving Horton bridges in the area.

Built around 1899, this bridge is 55 feet long. It was originally a highway bridge that crossed the Amnicon River not far from the park. The bridge was moved to the park in 1930 to preserve it and placed over the Lower Amnicon Falls. It is now only used for foot traffic. The cover was added in 1939.

Horton Covered Bridge

Lower Falls is one of the more impressive falls in the park. It is really more of a slide than a falls, it only drops about 15 feet and is around 30 feet in length. It's not the height that is important here, but the amazing circular shape and details of the rock walls on either side of the falls. I also love how the water swirls, following the wall before it follows the river off to the right.

Amnicon River View

The Amnicon River splits into two flows at this unnamed drop as the river forks off to the right creating the small island in the center.

Snake Pit Falls

Snake Pit Falls is somewhere around a 25 foot drop. This falls is located more to the backside of the island. There is a sign but you will have to explore a bit more to find it.

Now and Then Falls

Now and Then Falls, a more seasonal waterfall dries up from time to time. Start walking toward the bathrooms in the parking lot and turn right, you'll walk straight to this falls.

Amnicon Falls State Park is located at 4279 S County Road U, South Range, WI 54874.

About the Photographer

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in TheArt Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

In 2018, Wisconsin designated the road through the Bayfield Peninsula as Wisconsin’s fourth scenic byway. Named the Wisconsin Lake Superior Scenic Byway, this 70 mile segment of State Highway 13 winds its way around the South Shore of Lake Superior and provides sweeping scenic views of beautiful forests, pristine beaches and the “big lake” itself. Along the way you will visit quaint harbor towns full of historic architecture, historic fishing villages, small orchards and fruit farms and the home of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Bayfield, at the center of the byway, is the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Area.

Known as a fantastic summer destination, I decided to visit in autumn to experience the Bayfield Peninsula in a way that so many visitors never get a chance to do. It is a much quieter time with most of the tourist destinations closed but it's a great time to "get back to nature" and the fall colors are off the wall!

The Snow Geese enjoy a lazy autumn morning out on Lake Superior near Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Ashland, Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Lake Superior Scenic Byway begins at:

Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge - The Coaster Brook Trout spawn here. It is one of the twelve fresh water estuaries that are known at the "String of Pearls" that exist along the Lake Superior shoreline. These lands are an important habitat for migrating warblers. Chequamegon Bay, which is immediately adjacent to the refuge is a prime viewing area for migrating waterfowl.

While here, visit the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center at 29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI. They are open daily from 9 to 5. It's one of the few places open to get tourist information on the off season. There's is a nice museum here.

There are Kiosks located in each town where it is possible to pick up some information. I'll list the location of each, some are kept stocked and others not.

Canadian Geese play in the water on Lake Superior near Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge. While this looks like a landing or take off, none of the geese were flying. I think this might have been a game of tag or chase.

The 7.5 mile drive to Washburn parallels the shoreline of the Chequamegon Bay and crosses numerous streams that flow from the highlands. The landscape provides a delightful mix of Lake Superior views, wetlands and farmland.

Washburn Information Kiosk: Thompson's West End Park

Washburn was a "boom town" from 1880 to the 1920's. Brownstone was quarried and shipped all over the country from here.

Thompson's West End Park is at one end of town, it has a sand beach, artesian well and boat launch.

Memorial Park on the east side of town offers views of Lake Superior and a stairway down to the lake.

In town there are 3 brownstone buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Built in 1890 of Lake Superior brownstone, the Bank of Washburn is of Romanesque Revival design. It is located on the corner of Bayfield Street and Central Avenue and now houses the Washburn Historical Museum and Cultural Center. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

The Bayfield County Courthouse was built in 1894-95 for the cost of $31,737. It was constructed out of Brownstone, reddish-brown sandstone that is made up of quartz sand and found along the south shore of Lake Superior. In fact, the first quarry in the region was established on Basswood Island (one of the Apostle Islands) in 1868. This striking Neoclassical building has a domed cupola, a portico with Corinthian columns at the front entrance and quoins at the corners. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

East 3rd Street in Washburn is a Residential Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Homes here date from 1885 through 1950. The majority of these homes were built between 1916 and 1918 by the DuPont Company for their employees that worked at their dynamite plant that was just south of town. It was the largest dynamite plant in the world during World War I.

The historic section of 3rd Street stretches between Central Avenue and 6th Avenue. The Washburn Historical Museum and Cultural Center sits at the corner of Central and Bayfield, turn here and the next road up is 3rd, turn right on 3rd Street.

The district contains 26 single-family houses, four duplexes and an apartment building. A few of the houses worth noting are:

13 E 3rd - This is the earliest Queen Anne home. It was built in 1885.23 E 3rd - This is the 2nd oldest home, it is a Queen Anne Front Gable vernacular, built in 1887.101 E 3rd - A Queen Anne built in 1893.117 E 3rd - A Queen Anne built in 1898.229 E 3rd - A Colonial Revival home built for the DuPont factory superintendent.

Houghton Falls State Natural Area

Located about 1 mile north of Washburn. Take a right on Houghton Falls Road. There's a parking lot on the right about a 1/2 mile down the road.

A truly magical location where you can almost imagine water sprite and fairy’s frolicking in the water. This upstream gorge is shaded by a canopy of trees and overhanging rocks with this charming stream meandering through the site creating a series of small waterfalls that cascade over sandstone shelves into a cove below.

This series of cliffs and caves is called Echo Dells. It is my favorite part of Houghton Falls!

This is a beautiful and easy hike through the woods.

The waterfall is a low flow falls. It only flows after a good rain or when the snow is melting. If the Dells are dry, the falls will be dry, as well.

The Dells are very scenic and in my opinion the best part of the hike. It's not very difficult to climb down in the gorge for better views of the cascades in this area.

Farther down, there is a nice partially obstructed view of Houghton Falls from the trail. The gorge walls are very steep here and I never could find a way to photography the actual waterfall.

From the falls, it is a few hundred feet farther to Lake Superior and the trail continues on to the shoreline.

Bayview Information Kiosk: Bayview Beach Park

Beach frontage runs parallel to the byway for 1.5 miles at Bayview Beach Park.

Just north of Bayview there are magnificent vistas of Lake Superior, the Apostle Islands, Pike's Bay and the Port Superior Village Marina.

A sweeping view the beautiful fall colors in the hills surrounding the quaint city of Bayfield, Wisconsin. The Port Superior Village Marina can be seen along the shoreline of Lake Superior in this image.

Town of BayfieldInformation Kiosk: Salmo Trail

Bayfield is "L Shaped" so you will drive through two separate sections. Entering the section north of Bayview, you are greeted by a magnificent vista of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands as the Byway climbs into the hills of Bayfield and hugs the shore of Lake Superior.

Late fall at the Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery where the beautiful autumn leaves are still on the trees and there are snowflakes in the air. This impressive 1897 Victorian Shingle style building sits at the Hatchery entrance. The building is still used today for supplemental fish rearing space but the majority of operations are now in the newer building behind this one. Built from local brownstone, this building played a historically significant role in the fishing industry on Lake Superior. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery- 83875 HWY 13, Bayfield The Les Voigt hatchery raises lake trout, splake and brown trout for stocking in the northern great lake and many inland lakes and streams throughout Wisconsin. It is open 8 - 4 daily from April through October.

Salmo Lake Walk Trail - 83645 State Hwy 13, BayfieldA 1.5 mile trail with interpretative signage along its route leading to a sand beach. It is across the highway from the Les Voight Fish Hatchery.

The Fruit Loop

Bayfield is the "Berry Capital of Wisconsin". The rolling hills near Lake Superior offer a unique micro climate which is conductive to growing fruit.

I did not find this map until we were at one of the Orchards. Every location on the Loop has it hanging on their wall. It would have been nice to have this on hand for the drive.

You can print your copy of the brochure with all the addresses and information HERE from the Bayfield Tourism website. For more information, Check out Bayfield's websiteHERE.

I didn't have time to visit all the locations on the loop but I thought the Bayfield Winery had a very interesting presentation of their wines. We also stopped in at Copper Crow which is a vodka distillery and not part of the loop. (For Copper Crow, see the info under Red Cliff) I visited a couple of the Orchards but selected those for their interesting barns. On a recommendation from a local, we also stopped at Erickson's for cider donuts and hot cider which were both very good. We picked up a couple of apple cookies at Erickson's that were really outstanding! Very rich, they were more like apple cake with a cream cheese icing.

Hauser's Superior View Farm

This cute red barn was purchased from the Sears Roebuck catalog for $896 in the early 1920’s. It was shipped by train to Bayfield, Wisconsin where it was then hauled 600 feet up the hill from Lake Superior by horse drawn wagon. It housed pure bred Golden Gurnsey cows until the 1950s. It is still owned by the same family and is now the store front for Hauser’s Superior View Farm.

The beautiful autumn view from Hauser’s Superior View Farm. I photographed this from the loft window at the top of the barn.

Blue Vista Farm

Fall may be apple season but Mother Nature was pushing for winter with the snow flurries on the Bayfield Peninsula where I found this fabulous old red barn. It is the Blue Vista Farm’s fruit store.

The cute entry to Blue Vista Farm's fruit store.

City of BayfieldInformation Kiosk: East Dock Park

As you ascend a long hill into the City of Bayfield, many of the remaining Apostle Islands come into view. This is the smallest city in Wisconsin with a population of 487.

The "Gateway to the Apostle Islands", Bayfield's marina provides a ferry service to Madeline Island. This is also where the Apostle Island tours leave from when the tour boats are running.

Brownstone Trail - This trail runs for nearly 3 miles on an abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway corridor from the historic downtown area of Bayfield (near the intersection of ManyPenny Avenue and S. 3rd Street) to the Port Superior Village Marina south of the city. The trail follows the shoreline of Lake Superior, hugging the brownstone cliffs that give the trail its name.

Gil Larson Nature Trail - This trail is part of the Big Ravine Forest Preserve located on Sweeny Avenue. The School District of Bayfield is located at 300 N 4th Street, Sweeny Avenue starts across from the school. You'll see the trailhead access on the right. It gives you access to the bottom of a big ravine that cuts a swath through the center of the city. The hike is .75 miles long, it starts by a historic apple shed, continues under an old iron bridge and ends at a small waterfall.

The Old Bayfield County Courthouse was built in 1884 of local brownstone with elements of Neoclassical and Romanesque Revival styles. It served as the county courthouse until 1892 when the county seat was moved to Washburn. It was later used as a school, German POW camp, community center and warehouse. It is now the Visitor’s Center for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The Bayfield Historic District spans 60 blocks, many of the city's historic structures were built in the late 1800s and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a village of quaint cottages and magnificent Victorian homes in addition to well-preserved historic architecture. For an extensive architectural walking tour, you can download a free 49-page booklet HERE.

The Frank Boutin Jr. House was built in 1908. It is Queen Anne with an exterior of sandstone, brick and clapboard. Boutin’s father was an early lumberman and fisherman in Bayfield. The home is now a bed and breakfast better known at the Rittenhouse Inn.

Leaving Bayfield the Byway enters the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Reservation. The Red Cliff Band is one of 154 Bands of Anishinaabeg that reside around the Lake Superior region in the United States and Canada. The Tribe has approximately 60 square miles of watershed/shoreline area, 46 miles of streams and rivers and 22 miles of Lake Superior shoreline.

Red Cliff InformationKiosk: Frog Bay Tribal National Park

There are a number of murals located in buildings throughout the reservation that highlight the traditional Chippewa way of life.

Legendary Waters Resort & Casino - 37600 Onigamiing DriveThere are displays inside the casino about the history and culture of the native Anishinaabe people.

Copper Crow Distillery - 37295 State Highway 13, BayfieldA vodka distillery, we stopped in on Saturday evening before dinner. I was told they have a very nice "make your own" Bloody Mary bar on Sundays.

A late autumn pastoral landscape shot during the golden hour with horses in the foreground and cattle grazing the fields in the distance. I captured this image on the Red Cliff Reservation on our drive out to the Frog Bay Tribal National Park.

Frog Bay Tribal National Park

From the Legendary Waters Resort & Casino follow Blueberry Road for 3 miles. Turn right onto Frog Bay Road and follow it until it ends. The access road to the trail is marked with a Frog Bay sign. There is a small parking lot and a comfort station here.

There are 3 different trails down to Lake Superior here:

The Easy Route is a .4 mile hike straight down the old beach access road. It is on your right as you enter the parking lot.

The Beach Trail is accessed off the easy route down to the beach. It is a lovely walk through the lower portion of the forest. Walkways have been added in a few places the rest is all fairly level but with tree roots. It adds about a 1/4 mile to the easy route.

The Ravine Trail is 1 mile long. It is a more difficult hike. Take the ravine bridge directly off the parking lot, you will hike up and over a ravine and through a beautiful boreal forest. This trail connects with the beach trail and takes about 30 minutes one way.

Crossing the bridge on the Ravine Trail at Frog Bay Tribal National Park.

We originally planned to hike the Ravine Trail but the leaves were so thick on the path we were having difficulty finding and staying on the trail. We were the only ones in the park, and I was a little afraid of getting lost so we finally turned around and went down the easier direct route.

This park is an old growth primordial boreal forest with pristine Lake Superior shoreline and amazing views of the Apostle Islands.

The property was only recently reacquired by the reservation through two different transactions and has thankfully never been logged. Only 2 miles of hiking trails are open to the public but it is definitely worth a visit.

You can access the Red Cliff Band's website information about the park HERE.

While I was doing my travel research, I stumbled across a news article in the Twin Cities Pioneer Press that told the story of how the previous property owner came to own the land and their desire to see it protected. I found so heartwarming and so interesting that it made me even more determined to visit. If interested, you can read that article HERE.

A panoramic view of the fall colors and boreal forest in the ravine as seen from the Ravine Trail bridge at Frog Bay Tribal National Park. The colors in the upper elevation of the Ravine Trail were quite spectacular.

Hiking the Beach Trail through the lower elevation of the boreal forest at Frog Bay Tribal National Park. Most of the trees closer to water level have already lost most of their fall leaves. Notice the small cluster of trees with darker smoother more vertical bark in the center of this image. This is a small grove of Northern White Cedar. These trees thrive in the Great Lakes region. The Anishinaabe culture calls them Nookomis Giizhik which translates to “my grandmother’s cedar”. These trees are the subject of many sacred Native American legends and are a plant on the Ojibwe Medicine Wheel.

When we arrived at the end of the Beach Trail, the Lake Superior water level was so high that the lake was lapping at the top step down to the beach. I wasn't able to get far enough out of the forest to see the beautiful view of the Apostle Islands from this location.

After backtracking down the Beach Trail, we debated on hiking to the end of the Easy Trail in hopes of seeing some of the view but dusk was quickly approaching and we made the decision to head back.

Completing our hike at Frog Bay Tribal National Park by returning from the beach on the Easy Trail. The late afternoon sun was rapidly dropping in the sky, it was blinding but it sure made the fall colors pop.

Driving now primarily westward along the north side of the Bayfield Peninsula, the view is open to broad vistas of the south shore of Lake Superior and in the distance the higher hills of northeast Minnesota are clearly visible. Much of this section of the Byway is included in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Wilderness Area.

County Highway K takes you to Little Sand Bay where the town of Russell operates a campground. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has visitor information here. There is a historic fishery that is open seasonally and gives tours.

Russell Information Kiosk: Little Sand Bay Campground

Hokenson Fishing Dock - Dock built on crib piers in 1927 by the three Hokensen brothers, who ran an independent fishing boat and packing operation out of Sand Island from the 1920s through 1950s.

Meyers Beach

This is the location of the mainland sea caves of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Meyers Beach is located after Red Cliff but 4 miles before the town of Cornucopia on Meyers Beach Road. Easy to find, Meyers Beach Road intersects the byway.

This beach has the best access for kayaks in the summer.

During the winter months, these sea caves become the world famous ice caves and transform into a winter wonderland. When conditions allow it is possible to hike across a frozen Lake Superior to visit the "ice caves". *On my bucket list!

There is a hiking trailhead adjacent to the parking lot where you can hike to the cliffs above the sea caves. It is a rugged hike along the tops of the cliffs with stream crossings and steep slopes. It's approximately 2 miles to the first sea cave overlook. The trail extends about 4.5 miles. There is a boardwalk for the first .7 miles of the trail.

The Meyers Beach sea caves.

Just past Meyers Beach, the view opens up and the hills of northeast Minnesota are visible in the distance. The Byway makes a steep descent into Cornucopia. The harbor here provides a protected port for commercial fishing vessels and pleasure craft.

Cornucopia AKA Bell Information Kiosk: Bell Marina

Comes Aboat is one of the cute buildings located at the Bell Marina. The Jackie II fishing boat can be seen in the background.

Siskiwit Bay is protected and shallow. Just off the beach is an artisan well that runs clear, cold safe water all year long. There are some historic boats here in various stages of decay.

Cornucopia Green Shed Museum - Right next to the beach, I would have loved to visit but it was closed for the season.

Ehlers General Store - 88545 Superior AvenueIt has been in operation for 100 years! If you have never been to an old fashioned general store it is worth a quick stop. They sell everything, including the kitchen sink! Closed from November to May.

Siskiwit Falls- To find the falls, follow Highway 13 in Cornucopia turn on County Road C and take a left on Siskiwit Falls Road. There is a bridge shortly after the turn onto this road where you can access the falls.

The falls is located both upstream and downstream of the bridge. Be aware, part of the upstream side flows through private property. The falls consists of a series of drops and slides. The largest is a slide with a height of about 10 feet. There are three others with drops between 2 and 5 feet. The best drop is downstream of the bridge about 1/4 mile.

Lost Creek Falls - 22490 Trail Dr1.5 mile hike one way to a small waterfall.

Port Wing Information Kiosk: Hwy. 13 near Johnson's Store

An often overlooked little fishing village. Two commercial fishing boats still work out of the Port Wing Harbor. The village retains much of its historical fishing and boating connection to Lake Superior. It is the first harbor of refuge east of Duluth/Superior. There are nearly 2 miles of sandy beaches in Port Wing.

Quarry Point Beach& Boreal Forest - From Highway 13, turn north on Quarry Point Road and follow it back to the little parking lot right near the entrance path to Quarry Beach.

Recently named one of the South Shore’s best beaches by Lake Superior Magazine readers, Quarry Beach runs along the boreal forest .

Big Pete Boreal State Natural Areas - From highway 13, turn right on Lakeview Road and right on Big Pete Road.

A boreal forest and beach.

Twin Falls - Directly off of Highway 13 in a small park just west of Port Wing. You will not see the signage for this falls when heading west. It is very near the city limits as you leave town. Once you realize you are out of town, turn around and you'll see the sign on your right just after the Port Wing city limits sign.

Facing the gorge from the parking lot, there is a path to the left. This takes you to a viewing platform that is directly above the upper falls. It's an easy hike but you don't have much of a view of the falls from here. There's a nice view of the gorge. It looks like you can cross the stream (you'll get your feet wet) and work around to some stairs on the other side of the gorge for a better view.

Facing the gorge from the parking lot, to the right you can easily get down to Larson Creek. You'll get your feet wet but you can walk up Larson Creek to the lower falls. The lower drop is a plunge of about 12 feet.

About 5 miles from Port Wing the byway crosses Reefer Creek and there is a scenic pull out that provides great veiws of Lake Superior. You can see 20 miles across the lake to Knife River, Two Harbors and Silver Bay in Minnesota. From this point on the byway enters dense pine forests.

Orienta Information Kiosk: Scenic pull-out on Hwy. 13

Orienta Falls - Take Hwy 13 west from Port Wing approximately 5 miles, turn south on Orienta Falls Road and continue for 1.25 miles to Falls Spur Rd. The falls is at the former site of the Lake Superior Power Company Dam. Walk a couple hundred yards to the Iron River.

Iron River Brownstone Quarry - Is just below the Orienta Falls. The Quarry began operation in 1893 and continued for many years.

The Brule River Boreal Forest State Natural Area - Signs point to the road leading to the mouth of the Brule River. There is a large sand beach where the river meets Lake Superior. This is a world-famous trout stream and the area teems with deer, eagles and the occasional fox, wolf and bear.

Cloverland Information Kiosk: Town Hall

The Old Schoolhouse in Cloverland - Right on Highway 13.

This is an abandoned two room schoolhouse. Two schools, Harvey School and King School, were connected in 1916 by using a horse and sleigh to join the schools. When the school closed down in 1948, it became the Cloverland Community Club, a social hub for the local residents. As the towns population aged and shrank the building was abandoned.

If you would like to read more about its history, I found an article in the Duluth News Tribune, you can read that HERE.

Abandoned two room schoolhouse in Cloverland, Wisconsin.

The Lake Superior Scenic Byway ends two miles pass the historic town of Cloverland at the Junction of Highway 13 and Country Road H.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery.All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

Autumn on the Bayfield Peninsula: Wisconsin’s Lake Superior Scenic Byway - An off season tour of Wisconsin’s Lake Superior Scenic Byway which focuses on the nature areas and architecture of the area. A Travel Blog Post by Susan Rissi Tregoning Photography #Wisconsin

Following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Americans started to arrive in New Orleans and wanted a neighborhood to call their own. It took thirty years to happen but in 1826 when Jacques Livaudais failed to show up for divorce court preceding he lost ownership of the family plantation to his wife. In 1832, she moved home to France and sold the property to a group of businessmen that saw this land as American’s answer to the French and Creole dominated Vieux Carre. They parceled it off into a grid of 80 city blocks and it became part of the Village of Lafayette.

Wealthy Americans flocked to build mansions here. With plenty of space each mansion was surrounded by huge lawns and gardens some spanning full city blocks which earned the area its nickname the “Garden District”. That nickname stuck and the Garden District became its official name when the neighborhood was annexed into New Orleans in 1852.

While the lawns are no longer as grand as they once were, the mansions are still just as impressive as they were the day they were built. A visit to the Garden District offers a chance to see an entire neighborhood of preserved mansions from the 1800s and displays a melting pot of architectural styles that were “new” for the time period in which they were built.

The Garden District was recognized for its architectural and cultural significance in 1972, when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and then again in 1974, when it was declared a National Historic Landmark. Most recently, the Garden District was designated as a Historic District in June 2007 by the Historic District Landmarks Commission.

Whether you choose to take a guided walking tour from one of the many local tour companies or just do it yourself, a visit to New Orleans is incomplete without a visit to the Garden District.

The Historic St. Charles Streetcar

The easiest way to get to the Garden District is to jump on the Saint Charles Street Car. Check out this blog post from a different blogger for a crash course in... How to ride a streetcar.

St. Charles Avenue is the home of the St. Charles Streetcar Line. These GREEN streetcars are one of New Orleans’ most visually iconic links to the past. The 900 series streetcars were first put into service in the 1920s and are registered as National Historic Landmarks. New Orleans first started using streetcars in 1835, more than 180 years ago, making this the oldest continuously run route for such transit in the world!

If you are coming from the French Quarter, Royal Street turns into St. Charles Avenue when you cross Canal Street. The St. Charles Street Car line starts at the corner of Canal and St. Charles.

Get off at Washington Avenue.When you step off the streetcar,turn lefton Washington Avenueand walk one block to the corner of Washington and Prytania. There will be a sign commemorating the founding of Lafayette, the city that became the Garden District.

While in this area, be sure to check out:

The Rink Shopping Center - 2727 Prytania StreetThe Rink today is a shopping center but in 1884 it was a roller skating arena called the Crescent City Skating Rink. No one is certain but this is believed to be the first skating rink in the city. When they opened, Crescent City advertised it as the largest skating rink in the country. Sadly, it was only a roller rink for four years.

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 - Corner of Prytania and WashingtonBuilt in what was once the City of Lafayette, the cemetery was officially established in 1833 but the square has been used for burials since 1824. The first available burial records are dated from August 3, 1843.

Commander's Palace - 1403 Washington AvenueThe famous Commander's Palace restaurant has been a New Orleans landmark since 1893. It was originally opened by Emile Commander when he set up shop on the grounds of the former Livaudais Plantation. Today it is owned by the Brennan Family. If you wish to eat there, check their website for their dress code.

If you wish to follow my route, backtrack to Prytania Street...

There is just so much wonderful architecture to see in the Garden District, I'll admit that my interior design background made me go a little crazy. I photographed several beautiful mansions that were not on the typical walking tour routes that I researched for my trip or even considered "historically famous" because I just couldn't help myself. LOL I ended up adding them here anyway because as I discovered later, every one of these homes are either historically or architecturally significant.

Colonel Short's Villa - 1448 Fourth Street

On the corner of Prytania and Fourth is Colonel Short’s Villa AKA the Cornstalk Fence Mansion. This Italianate home was built in 1859 for Colonel Robert H. Short of Kentucky by architect Henry Howard.

In 1863, the house was seized by the federal forces occupying the city as the property of an absent rebel. It briefly served as the executive mansion for the Federal Governor of Louisiana before it was finally returned to Colonel Short in 1865. He lived here until his death in 1890.

The unusual fence features a pattern of morning glories and cornstalks and is the most famous work of cast iron in the Garden District. It is said that Colonel Short purchased the fence for his wife, who was homesick for her native Iowa.

Cornstalk Fence Mansion

Sully Mansion

The Sully Mansion - 2631 Prytania Street

Built in 1890 for the Rainy family, this mansion was designed by Thomas Sully. Sully is viewed as one of the most prominent Louisiana architects of the late nineteenth century and was among the first to form the unique architectural look of Uptown New Orleans. This home is the most intact of the few remaining “Sullys” left in the city.

It is currently a Bed and Breakfast.

Briggs-Staub House

Briggs-Staub House - 2605 Prytania Street

Build in 1849, for a gambler by the name of Cuthbert Bulitt it is one of only a few Gothic Revival houses in the city and the only one located in the Garden District. After the home was completed, Bulitt refused to pay for it. Many believe he couldn’t afford to because of a large gambling loss. The house was sold to Charles Briggs an English insurance executive.

It seems odd that any architectural style would be "off-limits" in the varied Garden District, but such was the case when this Neo-Gothic cottage. Protestant neighbors complained that its steeply pitched roof and pointed arch windows recalled Catholic traditions they had hoped to leave behind in the French Quarter.

Gilmour-Parker House

The Gilmour-Parker House - 2520 Prythania Street

Built in 1853 for Thomas Gilmour, an English cotton merchant, and his wife Anna. It was the first asymmetrical and one of the earliest examples of Italianate architecture in the city.

In 1882, John Parker, Sr., and his wife, Roberta, purchased the house. They enlarged the home adding an extension to the dining room with bay windows, a rear hallway and replaced the original staircase. Their son, John Parker, Jr., served as Governor of Louisiana from 1920-24 and entertained his hunting companion, Theodore Roosevelt, in this house.

Turn Right on Third Street....

Robinson House

Robinson House - 1415 Third Street

Built between 1859 and 1865 by architect Henry Howard. It is designed in the Greek Revival and Italianate styles and has a neoclassical cast iron fence. At 10,516-square-foot, this is one of the largest homes in the district and features a distinctive curved portico. Its unusual roof acts as a large vat that once collected water and acted as a cistern. Gravity provided water pressure. This is believed to be the first house in the Garden District to have indoor plumbing.

Musson Bell House

Musson Bell House - 1331 Third Street

This Greek Revival/Italianate mansion was built in 1853 for Michel Musson, one of the few French Creoles living in the Garden District before the Civil War. He was a successful cotton merchant, the New Orleans postmaster and the uncle of French artist Edgar Degas. After the Civil War dealt Musson’s fortunes a severe blow, he sold this house and moved his family to Esplanade Avenue where Degas briefly lived with him.

The original design of the house is attributed to James Gallier, Sr., but the facade has been altered. The cast iron gallery is an 1884 replacement and the facade originally had two front bays.

Backtrack to Prytania Street and turn Right...

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel

Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel - 2523 Prytania Street

This three story tall Greek-Italianate Revival mansion was originally designed by Henry Howard in 1857 for the wealthy coffee importer Henry T. Daily Lonsdale. It was often called the skyscraper because it was the tallest structure in the Garden District at the time.

While this mansion’s intricate cast iron gallery and marble entrance exudes European elegance, it’s most distinctive characteristic just might be its lineage of owners. After the Civil War it was acquired by the Catholic Church as a home for older priests. Rather than going over to one of the two big churches, Catholic families in the Garden District began attending Mass at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel in the home.

From 1929 to 1953, it was a Catholic Girl’s School.

Most recently it was owned by two different internationally known celebrities; Anne Rice lived here and used it as the setting for her novel Violin and Nicholas Cage owned it for a while.

Maddox- McLendon House

Maddox-McLendon House - 2507 Prytania Street

This Greek Revival mansion was originally built in 1852 for Joseph Maddox, the owner of the Daily Crescent newspaper.

The interior of this home was used for the Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio movie Django Unchained.

Women's Opera Guild House

The Women's Opera Guild House - 2504 Prytania Street

This gorgeous New Orleans Garden District mansion was formerly known as the Davis-Seebold Residence. It became the home of the Women's Opera Guild House in 1966.

Designed by William Freret, the home was built in 1858 and combines several different architectural styles. The structure is Greek Revival, and it has Italianate metalwork with a Queen Anne extension.

The home has been used recently for a couple of movies: Elsa and Peter with Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer and Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.

Bradish Johnson House

The Bradish Johnson House - 2343 Prytania Street

This mansion was designed by James Freret in the French Second Empire style. The home features nearly every stylistic element pioneered by Napoleon III’s architects. There are French styled dormers, a mansard roof and loads of Italianate detaining, rounded doors, and Corinthian columns support a second-story balcony and the manicured garden make it feel like Paris. It was built in 1872 for a sugar baron by the name of Bradish Johnson. It cost $100,000 to build at the time, that would be more than $1.6 million today!

Since 1929, it has been the private Louise S. McGehee School for Girls.

Backtrack to First Street and turn Left...

Archie Manning House

Archie Manning House - 1420 First Street

Since 1982, this house has been the home of the beloved 1970s New Orleans Saints Quarterback, Archie Manning.

If you didn’t follow the Saints back then, he should also be familiar to you as the father of Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning. The boys grew up in this home. Eli and Peyton are also famous NFL Football players.

The family lives in the home full time and is often seen in the yard and around the neighborhood.

Pritchard-Pigott House - 1407 First Street

This splendid Neoclassical Revival mansion was originally built as a double-gallery side-hall townhouse in 1867. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, the family was forced to sell the property just two years later. The new owner maintained it as a rental and allowed the family to rent it from him until 1876.

Renovations in 1904, transformed the townhouse into the spacious classically inspired mansion seen here today. Two additional bays were added to center the front entrance and give it a more symmetrical appearance, also a tetrastyle portico and the colossal Doric columns.

Pritchard-Pigott House

Morris Israel House

Morris-Israel House - 1331 First Street

Designed in 1860 by Samuel Jamison. It is one of the best examples of Italianate architecture in the city making it a very popular stop on all the Garden District tours.

Many houses have both Greek Revival and Italianate styles, but this house has all the features of early Italianate style which was popular in New Orleans in the late 1850s. The doors and window frames are arched as they are modeled after Italian villas. Notice that the cast iron columns are slender with arched spandrels and it’s impossible to miss all the detailed cast iron work that is more delicate in design, more commonly described as “iron lace” this is another tell that this house has shifted to Italianate style.

It was once owned by Anne Rice.

Carroll-Crawford House

Carroll-Crawford House - 1315 First Street

This house was built in 1869 for Joseph Carroll, one of the city’s most successful cotton merchant. It was designed in the Italianate style with cast iron lace balconies by Samuel Jamison who also designed the Morris-Israel House.

It is said that Joseph Carroll was known for giving lavish parties. He was very good friends with Mark Twain, who visited the house often.

There have been several other owners worth noting. R.M. Walmsley, whose grandson, T. Semmes Walmsley, served as mayor of the city from 1929 to 1936. In the 1920s, it was owned by Valentine Merz, the founder of Dixie Brewery. In 1932, an engineer named Charles Crawford whose sister was Josephine a well-known French Quarter artist of the ‘20s and ‘30s.

The White House

The White House - 1312 First Street

This home was originally built as a much smaller structure in a different location by Sarah Browne. She moved the house to this spot in 1860.

In 1879, it was purchased by the Whites who gave it a major renovation. They raised the existing one and a half story to allow for a new first floor and facade to be added. That’s when the Italianate details were added this Victorian home earning it the name “The White House”.

Brevard - Rice House

Brevard-Rice House - 1239 First Street

This home was built in 1857 by merchant Albert Brevard. It is a neoclassical hodgepodge from just about every architectural style of its time. The Greek Revival colonnades, Italianate flourishes and a hexagonal window all mix with surprising elegance.

The home was purchased by Anne Rice in 1989. While living here, she used it as the setting for her book “The Witching Hour” which turned into a trilogy about a fictitious family called the Mayfair Witches who also lived in the home. She sold the home in 2003 after the death of her husband, Stan.

Payne - Strachan House

Payne-Strachan House - 1134 First Street

This home is best known as the home that Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America died in December of 1889. Jefferson Davis had been imprisoned after the Civil War and then pardoned. He eventually began giving talks and writing books about the war to make ends meet. During a trip he fell ill with malaria and bronchitis and was forced to stop in New Orleans, where he was diagnosed and ordered off the boat. He was taken in by Charles Fenner, the son-in-law of Judge Jacob Payne an old friend of Davis’. He spent the next two weeks here in the home eventually dying on the morning of December Sixth.

It is of Greek Revival design.

This is where my day in the Garden District ended abruptly with several loud crashes of thunder, lighting and a mad soaking wet dash back to St. Charles Avenue to hop the streetcar. You would have never guessed it by the beautiful sky in my last image but that's what you get when you tour New Orleans during the rainy season. I could have spent all day!

This was the rest of my planned route....

Backtrack up First Street and turn Right on Coliseum Street...

The Seven Sisters - 2329 through 2305 Coliseum Street - There are actually 8 of them. Historical shotgun houses that were built on speculation.

Backtrack up Coliseum...

The Joseph Merrick Jones House - 2425 Coliseum Street -Currently the home of John Goodman, it belonged to Trent Reznor the lead singer of the Nine Inch Nails before that.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process she found her “roots” again, by developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that eventually evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

​Sitting along the banks of the Ohio River in a quiet little town in southern Illinois is a cave called Cave-In-Rock. The first recorded history of Cave-In-Rock was in 1739 by French explorer M. DeLery who mapped the limestone cave and named it, “caverne dans Le Roc” which after being translated into English is still the name it bears today. Although, much of its history is unsubstantiated, the local folklore that surrounds this cave started almost immediately after its discovery and tells a story of river boat pirates, bandits, fugitives, and murderers.

Panoramic view of the Ohio River from the stairway down to the cave at Cave-In-Rock.

The most famous of these criminals and the only story that can be verified through historical records is that of Samuel Mason. It is said that around 1797, Mason used the cave as the headquarters for the Mason Gang which was a group of ruthless river pirates and highwaymen.

Samuel Mason was a Revolutionary War officer who fought in the back country against the Indians. Always a bad guy, he got into trouble with the law in Knoxville, Tennessee for robbing people. When he was run out of town there, he moved his gang to Henderson, Kentucky where they ended up killing the local constable. Once again run out of town, the Mason Gang eventually made their way to Cave-In-Rock.

​In the words of Illinois historian John W. Allen:

Today only the natural beauty of the historic spot remains, clothed in mystery. In the hollow silence of the cave that echoes the peaceful cooing of doves, a visitor can let a vivid imagination run riot.

The legend states that, Mason used the cavern as a tavern which created an easy lure for weary travelers as they passed by. It was a combination of gambling den, brothel and refuge for criminals; but, according to Dr. Mark Wagner, interim director and staff archaeologist of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale’s Center for Archaeological Investigations, Mason and his gang only stayed in Cave-In-Rock for about six months. At the time, the Ohio River was like a busy interstate highway making it far too dangerous for the Mason gang to work from one location where they could easily be found by the law. While there might have been a tavern there at the time it is unconfirmed that Samuel Mason ran it. It is more likely that the gang actually moved through the woods creating temporary camps along the way and attacking flat boats along the Ohio River as they went.

Moving on, Mason’s gang eventually made it down into Arkansas and the Mississippi River Valley, which was still Spanish Territory at the time. It is in Arkansas that they were finally captured. When asked by the Spanish if he was a pirate, Mason claimed he was just a farmer and that he and his family wanted to put down roots in Arkansas. He and the gang were finally arrested because the Spanish found 20 human scalps in his baggage. Mason never went to trial, he was shot in the head during an escape attempt. Wounded, he still managed to get away. Some of this gang later turned in his severed head to Spanish authorities where they were arrested and stood trial. It is unknown, if Mason died from the bullet wound or if his gang turned on him and murdered him. ​

In 1913, the Ohio River flooded and B.C. Cole paddled his boat into the cave, stood up and carved his name into the ceiling of the cave. That carving can be seen in this image.

​It was because of these arrests and the subsequent trial transcripts of the gang members that there is any historical documentation that tells the story of Mason’s time in Cave-In-Rock. Newspapers ran wild with the story of Samuel Mason and his gang, building up Cave-In-Rock’s reputation as a den of piracy and bandits and making Mason infamous. Although Mason died in 1803, it wasn’t until the 1820s that Mason’s infamy had faded from local memory and he was no longer blamed for all criminal activity in the area. ​Other famed criminals said to have hidden out in the caves are the Harpe brothers, who are consider America’s first serial killers due to a spate of murders they embarked on in 1798. The Harpe Brothers didn’t choose their victims; they simply killed anyone and everyone who got in their way…men, women, and children.

In the early 1800s, the Sturdivant Gang and the Ford’s Ferry Gang are said to have made appearances in the region. The Sturdivant Gang originated from Colonial Connecticut and their leader, Roswell S. Sturdivant, was a third generation counterfeiter. The Sturdivant Gang mostly hung around St. Clair County, Illinois but also had a fortress in Pope County. Ford’s Ferry Gang was more local. James Ford, the leader was a business and community leader in both Kentucky and Southern Illinois few knew of his dual personality as a gang leader of a group of thugs that high jacked flatboats for several decades.

More local legend places Jesse James and his gang here, as well.​

Looking out of the cave and across the Ohio River at the Kentucky coastline.

Finally in an effort to clean out the cave, a group of justice minded vigilantes known as “The Exterminators” raided the cave and surrounding area, effectively destroying the criminal activity in the area. After that, more bandits moved in but none ever stayed for long.

In 1816, the earliest known permanent white settlers arrived and started building a town near the cave. It is said that during this time the cave was even used as a church.

In 1929, the State of Illinois acquired 64.5 acres above the cave for a park. They have since increased it to 204 acres. The well-wooded, 60-foot-high hills and the rugged bluffs along the river command expansive views of the Ohio River. It was named Cave-In-Rock State Park.

There is a nice walkway with beautiful views along the Ohio River leading to and from the cave.

Cave In Rock State Park in located in Hardin County, Illinois at 1 New State Park Rd, Cave-In-Rock, IL 62919.It is one of the stops in the Illinois portion of the Ohio River Scenic Byway.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process she found her “roots” again, by developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that eventually evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

I have always loved this beautiful old chapel. As early as four or five years old, I can remember staring out the car window in excitement and maybe with just a touch of trepidation as I waited to get my first glimpse of it anytime my parents drove down Route 37. It became even more interesting to me when I discovered that it was built by an ancestor of mine and that the two most prominent tombstones on either side are ancestors too.

I have been planning this image for a long time. It could be called, "Memories of my Youth", for when cemeteries were scary places to visit. In my mind's eye as afive year old, this is what the Goddard Chapel looks like...

Built in 1918, the chapel was originally a project proposed by the Marion Woman’s Club.

Leroy A. Goddard, a Chicago banker who had served two terms as the Marion, Illinois mayor was receptive to the idea. He agreed to construct the chapel if Marion would enlarge its cemetery. The city agreed and purchased 27 additional acres for cemetery plots.

Mr. Goddard brought his own architect, John A. Nyden, and contractors down from Chicago to build the Goddard Chapel. Large enough to seat 200 people, the chapel cost $20,000 to build. It is designed in the Gothic Revival style and constructed of Bedford limestone with a red clay tile roof. The doors and windows are all set in a variety of Gothic arches; the doors are set within shoulder arches, the front window is in a depressed arch, and the side and back windows are set in lancet arches. The inside walls of the chapel are of pressed brick and the woodwork is Flemish oak.All of the windows are stained art glass and feature a lily pattern. Leroy A. Goddard’s name is carved in stone over the entrance to the chapel.

The dedication of the chapel on May 30, 1919 was quite a big deal with over 5000 people in attendance! The dedication address was given by Southern Illinois University at Carbondale's President at the time H.W. Shryock known today because the Shryock Auditorium on the SIU campus was named after him.

Mr. Goddard maintained his interest in the chapel and his home town until his death on January 22, 1936 at the age of 81. He was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago, a cemetery bearing the same name as the one established for Marion where his chapel resides.

Leroy A. Goddard was born in Marion on June 22, 1854. By the time he was 21 he owned half interest in a grocery store which he sold to start the community’s first bank in 1879. (The building is still located up on the Marion square.) For nearly 12 years his bank was the only bank in the county. In 1890, he established the First National Bank of Mt. Carmel and was its president until Aug 1, 1892 when he became cashier of the Fort Dearborn National Bank in Chicago. He resigned as president of that bank in 1904 to become vice president of the State Bank of Chicago. He later served as president of that bank, and as a chairman of its board. He held numerous positions in bankers associations and was grand master of Illinois Mason in 1904. A photo of Leroy A. Goddard can be found on the Marion, Illinois History Preservation website. ​

Susan Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process she found her “roots” again, by developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that eventually evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

Only a 30 minute drive west of Duluth, Minnesota on the edge of the St. Louis River is a little logging town in the North Woods called Cloquet. This town began as a group of small settlements around three sawmills: Shaw Town, Nelson Town and Johnson Town and today it has a population of a little over 12,000 people.

Many people would be very surprised to learn that this quiet little town has a unique tie to America’s greatest architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. This is the location of the only functioning gas station ever designed and built by Mr. Wright. It is also the only piece of Wright’s Broadacre city project ever to be constructed.

Back in 1952, Ray and Emma Lindholm commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build them a home on the south side of Cloquet. They named it Mantyla which is Finnish for “Home of the Pines”.

When Frank Lloyd Wright discovered that Mr. Lindholm was in the petroleum business, he mentioned that he was quite interested in gas station design. Wright first began working on a design for a standard prefabricated gas station in the 1920s. It was his hope to eliminate the frequent “eyesores” lining American highways and to develop a facility that would offer a variety of customer services in addition to the sale of fuel. Wright further expanded on this idea with a gas station design that he did in 1934 for his Utopian Broadacre City project.

The Lindholm’s loved their “home of the pines” and apparently that little conversation with Wright about gas stations stuck with Ray Lindholm. A few years later, when they decided to rebuild a Phillips 66 station, Mr. Lindholm reasoned “it was an experiment to see if a little beauty couldn’t be incorporated in something as commonplace as a service station” and he commissioned Wright to do the design.

Frank Lloyd Wright was eager to take on the project. He adapted the design of his gas station for Broadacre to fit the Lindholm’s needs. It was Wright’s hope that this station would become a prototype for gas stations in the future. He believed that the service station would become the civic hub of the community and play a large role in shaping a “less urban” America. The scheme of the Broadacre City was a framework for planning communities focused on physical, functional and visual relationships between rural existences and the city center.

The station opened in 1958 and attracted notice far beyond Cloquet with its unique 60 foot tall illuminated roof-top pylon, glass observation lounge and cantilevered copper canopy. A typical two bay gas station at the time only cost $5,000 to build, but Wright’s steel-canopied version with its copper roof cost $20,000.

The cantilevered canopy extends 32 foot out from the glass wall. The original plans called for overhanging gas pumps with hoses coming down from the canopy. Wright equated them to being like “mother’s milk” coming down from above. The hanging hoses would have allowed for free movement of the cars and eliminated the need for service islands, but local codes prohibited their installation.

The dangling hoses were a recurring design feature in Frank Lloyd Wright's gas stations plans. In 1927, he had drawn up plans with this same feature for a gas station to be constructed downtown Buffalo, New York. Those plans were finally put to use in 2014 when the station was built inside the Pierce Arrow Museum. Although it is a non-functional gas station, it features the overhead gas tanks and cost $1.3 million to build. You can see photos of that Frank Lloyd Wright Filling Station here.

In this image you can see Frank Lloyd Wrights signature, a single red tile. Can you find it?

The second floor observation deck was the area that Wright referred to as the “Waiting Station”. Stations at the time were mainly just places to get your gas and go. Wright saw the station as a cultural center, somewhere to meet a friend, get your car fixed and have cup of coffee while you waited.

In the garage’s work bays, skylights were located over the engine compartments of the cars giving very nice natural light to help the mechanics when working.

The use of ceramic tile walls, cypress wood trim, decorative planters and skylights in the service bays set this station apart and influenced the architecture of other gas stations throughout the country in the years that followed. Phillips Petroleum Company used several of Wright’s design principals in subsequent stations. The V-shaped canopy was copied at other locations along with the arrangement of service bays around the office and large canted windows.

​Sadly, Wright never saw the completed gas station. While the R.W. Lindholm Service Station was completed the year before Wright died, he was also busy working on the Guggenheim Museum in New York during this time.

The R.W. Lindholm Service Station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

​You can visit the R.W. Lindholm Service Station AKA Frank Lloyd Wright Gas Station at 202 Cloquet Ave, Cloquet, Minnesota.

The Lindholm House now resides at Polymath Park in Acme, Pennsylvania, a 130 acre architectural park. By the summer of 2018, the home will be open for tours and you will even be able to spend the night in it.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that eventually evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

With wildlife, I’m convinced that no matter how much you try to plan ahead it's really just dumb luck that you are in the right spot at the right time.

We had been driving around Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge for a few hours looking for wildlife when the clouds started rolling in and the winds picked up. It was getting pretty dark so we decided it was time to head home.

As we drove back across the dam road, a blue heron glided over the water and plopped himself down not 25 yards in front of us; right next to the only parking spot on that narrow road as if to say, “Take my picture!” We whipped over and I jumped out of the car.

Two men were fishing from the dock no more than 30 feet from him. They appeared to be drunk. They were screaming in excitement and their voices carried easily over the water.

“Did you see that!” the one fisherman exclaimed to the other as I squatted down along the edge of the road.

I didn’t want to waste this opportunity so I didn't take the time to swap lenses. With my 400mm lens and 1.4x extender on my 7D, I was far too close to Mr. Heron to get the shot and had to back up a few feet.

​The second time I squatted down, I drew the drunker of the two guy’s attention, “What’s she doing, she’s not peeing right there is she?”

“Nah, she’s just takin’ a picture.”

I chuckled all night about that. If those two couldn’t scare away the heron, I don’t think anything could. I ended up leaving before he did.​Here’s a couple of other Great Blue Heron images that I shot earlier in the day….

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it. ​

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in TheArt Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

I have visited many botanical gardens around the United States but Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is hands down my favorite! This is a pristine 40 acre rainforest garden. While this one of a kind garden contains over 2,000 species of tropical plants; it is so much more than just a botanical garden. It is also a stunning tropical nature preserve and sanctuary that features a multi-tiered waterfall, several streams, and an amazingly beautiful ocean front walk along Onomea Bay. This garden is acclaimed as one of the most beautiful locations in Hawaii; a distinction I think it well deserves.

The adventure begins 2 miles before you even reach the Garden…

Just the drive to the Garden is an experience like no other. Located on the Hamakua Coast just a few miles from Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens is about halfway down the Pepe’ekeo Scenic Drive. This drive is a short 4 mile section of the Old Mamalahoa Highway. This is a narrow and winding coastal road where the vegetation is damp and lush with heavy vines dangling along the edges of the road. This is the rainforest jungle that you have dreamed about visiting!

​A little over a mile down, don’t be confused by the cars parked along the edge of the road, this is a trailhead down the old mule trail into Onomea Bay. The Garden is just a little further down with a nice off road parking lot on the left.​

As a side note about this trail head, we did a portion of this hike on our last visit to the Big Island but missed the best part because of my confusion over the guard at the gate. I assumed the hike ended at the bridge into the Garden and simply followed the path along the Garden's property line fence. Study the map that the garden provides on their website. Hawaii state law requires that the Garden allow public access to the Na Ala Hele Trail System. While they will not allow you to leave the garden to hike it or enter the gardens from the trailhead, they must allow you to cross the bridge and walk down the trail between their fences.​ Although, I wouldn't attempt this hike on the same day I visited the Gardens, I'm really kicking myself over missing this!

I won't lie, tickets are pricey here but in my opinion it's worth every penny. If you will be on the island for an extended stay consider asking about their annual membership. Just two trips to the garden and you'll be money ahead with the savings. They will even allow you to purchase a one day ticket and apply that money toward a membership if you purchase it that same day.

Round trip walk through the garden is a little over a mile. They say you can see it all in 90 minutes but I have never spent less than 4 hours here.

Tropical Boardwalk

​After passing through the Garden gate on the ocean side of the road, you will begin your decent to the gardens 120 feet below via a 500 foot long elevated boardwalk. This walkway winds you through an exotic narrow steep walled ravine just packed with a variety of orchids, palms, heliconias, gingers, and bromeliads; just to name a few of the beautiful rare and exotic plants. We visited in winter while most of the flowers were out of bloom but even so, it was still amazing!

This path is too steep to be handicapped accessible, the Garden provides golf cart transportation for those that feel they need it. Ask about it in the gift shop when purchasing your tickets. If you decide to walk it, you are in for a treat and there are plenty of benches along the way to rest. Just watch out for those golf carts they are constantly zooming up and down this walkway.

About halfway down, you'll find the story about how the garden all began...

On June 8, 1977, newly-married Dan and Pauline Lutkenhouse visited the Big Island of Hawaii for the first time. They purchased an old “vacation house” on the Hilo side of the island with plans to return often to visit and renovate the old house.

While shopping for that old house, they were also shown a 17 acre piece of property that sat on the ocean in a valley and was so overgrown that you need a machete just to walk through it. Not much more than a junk yard, it was filled with old cars, machinery, appliances and trash of all kinds; even so, it was still absolutely breathtaking! Dan immediately fell in love with the property. He decided he would purchase this land, too. His dream was to plant a unique and peaceful garden for people to enjoy, forever preserving this beautiful ocean valley.

Dan was 56 years old at the time; he sold his transportation business on the mainland and within a year, had embarked on bringing his dream to fruition. For the next 8 years, Dan with the help of an assistant and two other workers were busy clearing the land, designing the garden, collecting the plants and finally planting. All work had to be done by hand to avoid disturbing the natural environment and destroying valuable plants. They built a lake, discovered hidden waterfalls and carved out beautiful trails throughout his Garden. Lastly, he named it Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, and created a nonprofit corporation insuring that it would be protected for generations to come. The Garden finally opened to the public in 1984.

Over time, the Lutkenhouse’s were able to purchase additional adjoining ocean-front property which they also donated to the Garden preserving 37 acres of beautiful Onomea Valley.

Millions of visitors from around the world enjoy this gardens and nature preserve every year. Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens is self-sustaining, governed by a small Board of Directors; the Garden thrives on visitor’s admissions and private donations. The Garden Gift Shop conceived by Pauline Lutkenhouse and online sales of vibrant Tropical Flower Bouquets supplement the Garden’s coffers. They have never accepted government funding of any kind.

Welcome to the Jungle

At the bottom of the walkway, I have always headed left to the stairs where you get a wonderful panoramic view of the entrance to the Palm Jungle. The Gardens is home to almost 200 species of palms and you can see many of them from here.

The Palm Jungle

​Entering the Palm Jungle is almost a spiritual experience much like entering a cathedral.You'll notice a temperature drop when you enter this heavily shaded area and it's quieter here. It's a wonderful place to spend some time on a hot day.

These towering Alexandra palms are common to areas that are severely inundated during heavy rain events and grow profusely in the valleys along the Hamakua Coast. Their ability to withstand these conditions allows them to become the dominant species.

​A little further along, you’ll get your first glimpse of Onomea Stream running along the right side of the path. This is the area that Dan Lutkenhouse was clearing when he discovered the waterfall. I can’t even imagine his excitement as he hacked and slashed his way through heavy vines and overgrowth and began to hear that wonderful sound of rushing water that is always a prelude to a waterfall. As my husband says, "There's nothing better than rushing water in the woods!"

Then suddenly, there it is, look at that beauty of a waterfall! Onomea Falls is definitely the crown jewel of the Gardens. This multi-tiered waterfall gracefully cascades down into the valley and divides into a second smaller waterfall when it hits the first pool. Spend some time here and enjoy the view.

Onomea Waterfalls

From here, you will backtrack through the Palm Jungle and follow the Heliconia Trail that ends at the Orchid Garden.

The Orchid Garden

Since we visited in winter, many of the flowers were not in bloom but the Orchid Garden was absolutely spectacular! ​

Here is just a sampling of some of the amazing flowers that I photographed while in the Gardens. Check my Flowers & Gardens Collection for others. I could edit for years on just the flower images that I shot on my two visits to the Gardens. I will continue to add more florals to The Art Gallery as time permits.

Click on each photo to see the complete image...

While traveling through the Gardens watch closely for wildlife. The geckos can entertain me for hours and they aren't quite as skittish here as they are in most areas of the islands. I have also spotted the Hawaiian Hawk 'Io and other birds in the trees. Mongoose dashing across the pathways and A'ama crabs climbing in the lava along the coastline.

The Lovers of Kahali'i

The legend of Twin Rocks…

Long ago, the fishing village of Kahali’i was located right on this spot in Onomea Bay.

Legend has it that one day the chief of the village spotted many canoes heading their way. Fearing an attack he asked for two young lovers to be guides and protectors of the village by giving their lives.

The next morning the village was safe and the lovers were gone. In their place were two giant rock formations at the entrance of the bay, attached to each other, as if on guard. The lovers of Kahali’i and their offspring still stand today, sentinels at the head of the bay. They are now called Twin Rocks.

Onomea Bay

Onomea Bay is a very historically significant area of the Big Island. This was one of the island's first natural landing areas for sailing ships. In the early 1800s the fishing village, known as Kahali'i, grew into a shipping port; first importing the materials used to build the Onomea Sugar Mill and then later for exporting the raw sugar that was produced there. From the Sugar Mill, sacks of the unrefined sugar were loaded onto donkeys and driven down the donkey trail to the docks to be loaded onto ships.

The settlers that came here to work the sugar cane fields and build the Sugar Mill were a mixture of Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos. These early settlers removed all of the valley's native vegetation. All that remained were some tall coconut palms, which now are over 150 years old. The tall mango and monkeypod trees that can be seen in the valley today have been growing here since 1850. These settlers are also the ones that built the old stone walls that are still located within in the Garden. These walls were used to keep the land from eroding into the nearby stream and for making terraces for growing their taro and sugar cane.

Idyllic Stream

After the Sugar Mill ceased operations, the settlers began to move away. Relics of the old mill can still be found in the hills above the Garden. A Portuguese bake oven that is located on the Cook Pine Trail was discovered while clearing that area and is another remnant from this time

Later, a part of the valley was a lilikoi (passionfruit) farm. Cattle were grazed here in the valley, as well. A row of stately old palms that line the scenic drive were planted by the plantation supervisor from the Onomea Sugar Mill. Wild banana, mango, coconut and guava trees planted by the early settlers are still growing. These old fruit trees are huge now!

By the early 1900s, Onomea Valley was deserted and the vegetation grew so densely that few signs of former habitation could be seen. I imagine it was quite a sight when Mr. Lutkenhouse first started clearing it in the late 1970's.​Today, thanks to the Dan Luntkenhouse's vision, exotic plants gathered from distant tropical rainforests grow side by side with native Hawaiian plants. Together they form a spectacular living work of art in the only tropical botanical garden in the United States that is situated on an ocean coast.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in TheArt Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

​Step back over 160 years in time at the beautiful Historic Bowens Mills. Once a thriving community, farmers brought their grain here to the 1854 grist mill to be milled into flour and meal. Visit the antique apple cider press that sits ready for another fall apple season.

​Located in the western portion of Michigan, almost exactly halfway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, Historic Bowens Mills is in the Yankee Springs area of Gun Lake. Today, it is a second generation family-owned and operated Michigan state historic site whose mission is to preserve this 19 acre historical park and the history of Yankee Springs Township and Barry County for future generations to learn from and enjoy.

A settlement first started here in the mid-1830's when a land speculator by the name of Montermer Martin purchased the plot of land from the government. In those early days of Barry County, a sawmill was need for the area to grow so the Payne family built the first dam and sawmill where the two creeks joined just north of the lake. The mill was powered by a water wheel with a four foot fall and soon they were sawing around a thousand feet of lumber a day.​Just a couple of years later, a lawyer named Barlow purchased some of the land which included the sawmill. He saw the potential for more water power about a half mile or so up the creek and decided to relocate the mill to its present location. He reused much of the original timbers in the building of the new mill. He built a wooden dam across the creek, backing the water up 14 feet and in the process created the Mill Pond. He also flooded two smaller ponds in order to create a larger lake that is named, Barlow Lake. He built a house on the east side of the Mill Pond which is where he lived, held court and took care of legal matters.

The sawmill changed hands a couple of more times before Edwin Bowen moved from Ohio and purchased it in 1864. He and his son William soon added a grist mill with three levels to the operation. Up until this point, the area had been known as Gun Lake but sometime around 1870 the mill and the surrounding area became known as “Bowens Mills” in honor of its leading citizen.​Edwin Bowen was named Postmaster. He kept the mail in a large basket inside the family home where farmers from the surrounding country could call to pick up their letters. At the time, the mail was carried by stagecoach from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, and someone would meet the coach in nearby Wayland to collect the mail. Mr. Bowen later placed a wooden letter holder in the mill office where it can still be seen today.

​In the early 1870’s, rumors were flying that the railroad going from Grand Rapids to Battle Creek would be passing through Bowens Mills. Knowing that the mill would not be large enough to handle the new growth, Mr. Bowen removed the roof and added a fourth level to the mill. The railway ended up following the Thornapple River and never did come to Bowens Mills.

In 1902, Mr. Bowen purchased a huge Albright Cider press and added a large room to the side of the mill to house it.

Sadly, the village never grew larger than 100 people but it had a sawmill, general store, blacksmith shop and several other businesses. Bowen and his son William operated the mill which was famous for its buckwheat flour until 1912.

​The business changed hands several more times and continued to be a hub of activity; grinding flour and grist, making cider and vinegar and also being used as a pickle weigh station. There was even gas pump here for a while. Unable to keep up with the newer and faster mills in neighboring communities, business began to slow down and the mill finally ceased operations in 1953 after 113 years of continual service to the Barry County community.

The next owners to purchase the property, used the acreage to grow cucumbers for making pickles. Through this time, the mill was used to house about 30 migrant workers that came each season to harvest the fields. The migrant workers brought their own cots, stove, tables and chairs and they used the pond for bathing.

In 1971, four families bought the mill. They replaced the windows and doors vandals had destroyed and did some very basic clean up. Over their 7 year span of ownership, they open the mill several times for tours. They were the ones responsible for getting the “Michigan Historical Site” designation in 1972.

​The mills current owners are Carleen and Owen Sabin. It was Mrs. Sabin’s parents, Neal and Marion Cook, who purchased the mill in 1978. By this time the mill had been sitting idle for 40 years and it was their dream to see it operational again.

During this time, they began relocating local historic structures and period pieces to the property creating a small village similar to what the area had been like “back in the day”.

Barry County’s oldest schoolhouse dating from 1850 now resides on the property. Inside, there is a desk with the name Ford carved into it. Although unsubstantiated, there is much speculation as to whether President Gerald Ford who grew up in nearby Grand Rapids may have carved that name in it.

The 1840's plank house, complete with a rope bed, a water pump outside and farm animals out back demonstrates what typical daily life would have been like at the time.

The 1860’s 11 room Victorian farmhouse that was built by the Bowen’s has been restored and is open for touring.

The grist mill and cider mill still grinds and sells fresh cornmeal through the use of their water-powered mill stones. ​

The absolute best time to visit is during the fall! They celebrate the month of October with Cider Sundays. During this event all of the buildings are open. They do demonstrations in the grist mill and cider mill and have many other fall activities scheduled.

They also put on a wonderful Civil War Reenactment. Have live music, horse drawn wagon rides though the grounds, and serve apple dumplings at the snack bar.

​Historic Bowens Mills is open year around by appointment for tours. It is also available to rent for special events. Their telephone number is (269)795-7530. They can be found at both their website and Facebook pages for more information.

Visit my Michigan Collectionto see more images from Historic Bowens Mills and the state of Michigan.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in TheArt Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel

"Autumn at Bowens Mills" Art Print on Wood

Bring your artwork to life with the texture and added depth of a wood print. Your image gets printed directly onto a sheet of 3/4" thick maple wood. There are D-clips on the back of the print for mounting it to your wall using mounting hooks and nails.

Sunset at Mitchell's Pass - Just stepping a few feet off the road completely changes the perspective. This is what the pioneers fought their way across, not that nice smooth road off to the left.

​In the western portion of the state of Nebraska you’ll find Western Trails Scenic and Historic Byway. This is a historic 144 mile route from Ogallala to the Wyoming border that roughly follows the path the pioneers took almost 200 years ago. While there is much to see and do here, I have chosen the amazing geological formations that those brave pioneers saw along the way to be the topic of this post.

Courthouse and Jail Rock

Courthouse and Jail Rocks

​Located in the Platte River valley, just outside of Bridgeport, Nebraska, Courthouse and its smaller neighbor Jail Rock were the first two monumental rock features that the pioneers encountered on their journey west.

​This was an important crossroad where two major trunks of the Oregon and California Overland trails merged. Because of its importance, a Pony Express station was located here, as well.

Rising 340 feet above the North Platte River Valley, the largest rock formation was called the “Castle” by some, but “Courthouse” by the people that traveled from Missouri since they claimed it resembled the Saint Louis Courthouse.

There was never any disagreement about the name Jail Rock for its smaller counterpart since one room jailhouses were common out west at the time. The reasoning was, since you can’t have a jail without a courthouse nearby, the name Courthouse Rock finally stuck.

These monuments are the erosional remnants of an ancient plateau and are composed of Brule clay, Gering sandstone and volcanic ash. They have eroded somewhat since the days of the pioneers but are still impressive formations. They are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and in the Nebraska Natural Areas Register. ​

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock - A herd of cattle graze in the tall grass prairie at Chimney Rock.

Located about 12 miles to the north-west as the crow flies from Courthouse and Jail Rocks, near what is now the town of Bayard, Nebraska, Chimney Rock is one of the most picturesque landmarks along the Oregon, California and Mormon trails.

Towering 325 feet above the valley, it sits on a conical base and the spire alone is 120 feet tall. Chimney Rock is a natural geologic formation, composed of layers of volcanic ash and Brule clay, it is the remnant of the erosion of the bluffs at the edge of the North Platte River Valley.

General Joel Palmer, who led a surveying party in 1845, described it as having the ​

appearance of a haystack with a pole running far above its top.

The name "Chimney Rock” more than likely originated with the early fur traders. It was also called Chimley Rock and Chimney Tower for a time. Earlier on, it was referred to as Elk’s Peak and Elk Brick which were more than likely variations of the Lakota Sioux’s name for it which roughly translated to “elk penis”.

The first recorded mention of "Chimney Rock" was in 1827 by Joshua Pilcher who was a fur trader and the owner of the Missouri Fur Company based out of St. Louis. Pilcher was journeying up the Platte River to the Salt Lake Rendezvous of the Rocky Mountain fur trappers when he spotted Chimney Rock.

By the time the pioneer’s followed this path, Chimney Rock was so famous that it was mentioned in most pioneer’s diaries, with some travelers reporting that it was visible from almost 40 miles away.

This was an important landmark because it signaled to the pioneers that they had reached the end of the prairies. Their journey going forward would become more difficult; the trail would be more rugged and steep as they approached the Rocky Mountains.

Chimney Rock was designated a National Historic Site in 1956.

Robidoux Pass

Robidoux Pass - The backside of Dome Rock, Crown Rock and Sentinel Rock as seen from Robidoux Pass. Once the shorter and easier Mitchell Pass was discovered, Robidoux was no longer used.

Robidoux Pass or Roubadeau Pass is the first of two historic passes through the Wildcat Hills. This trail forced emigrants to swing 30 miles south away from the North Platte River in order to access a natural gap passing through the Wildcat Hills.

The earliest travelers to use this pass were probably fur traders and missionaries between the 1820s and the 1830s. The first transcontinental wagon train to pass through was the Bidwell-Bartleson Expedition in 1841. This expedition was comprised of 80 emigrants bound for Oregon along with the Catholic missionary Father DeSmet. Robidoux saw its heaviest use between 1843 to 1851 during the Oregon Migration and the California Gold Rush.​Robidoux almost seems to be forgotten, there are no fancy monuments and none of the historic buildings remain. Along this gravel road, you will find the reconstructed Robidoux Trading Post, a few wagon ruts and several markers that point out the original trail. A couple of pioneer graves can still be seen along the trail, as well.

Robidoux Trading Post

While no enduring history of the Robidoux Trading Post exists, this building has been recreated though archaeological research and diary entry’s made by the travelers that passed through the area. This recreated post was builtfrom 100-year old, hand-hewn logs on its original site.

​One emigrant described this post as:

a log shanty with a blacksmith’s forge on one end and a grog shop on the other.

Other trading posts are known to have existed near the pass at that time, but Robidoux’s is the one most often mentioned in diaries.

Located just east of the trail, this trading post was established in 1851 by a French family named Robidoux who were engaging in free trade with the Plains Indians. The Robidoux Brothers: Joseph, Antoine, Louis, Michael and Isadore visited here and farther west trapping and trading with many tribes as early as 1822. This trading post sometimes referred to as the “winter quarters” followed an earlier trading post and blacksmith shop just north of this location.

Robidoux sold a variety of goods and provided blacksmith services for travelers. Research indicates that Antoine, son of Joseph III resided here as the post clerk with his Indian wife and children until 1853.

​Robidoux Pass is designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

While a little difficult to locate, this 23-mile route on Carter Canyon Road and back on Robidoux Road is a trip worth taking. The easiest way to find Robidoux Trading Post:​Take Hwy 71S approximately 2 miles south of Gering. Turn Right onto Carter Canyon Road/ County Road S. The trading post will be 8 miles down on the left. From there continue along Carter Canyon Road until the T and turn right onto Summit Ranch Road. Summit Ranch will continue straight and turn into Robidoux Pass Road.

Scotts Bluff

Thanks to the efforts of the US Army, Mitchell Pass, a much shorter route that passes through the center of Scotts Bluff, opened in 1851. It had not been possible to get wagons through this pass until that time. Once this happened, Robidoux Pass was no longer used.

Eagle Rock - Eagle Rock towers over a pioneer wagon as it passes through Mitchell Pass on its way out west.

​Scotts Bluff is the second most referenced landmark on the Oregon, Mormon and California trails after Chimney Rock. Rising over 800 feet above the plains at its highest point, Scotts Bluff was a significant milestone for many wagon trains and was gazed upon with a great sense of accomplishment. After two months and 600 miles of travel through “the Great American Desert”, as the semi-arid grasslands of Nebraska were known in the mid-1800s, reaching this point indicated that 1/3 of their journey West was completed. They would now be entering the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

The North Platte River at Scotts Bluff - Looking down from atop Scotts Bluff. Look closely at the flat easy to travel spot of land, you can see wagon ruts here.

Both the Oregon and Mormon Trails paralleled the North Platte River. This river is non-navigable and the pioneers knew it as a much wider and more dangerous river than it is today. Covered wagons passed Scott’s Bluff on both sides of the river but they could not get close for fear of getting caught up in silt, gravel and quicksand. This stretch of Badlands and Scotts Bluff was completely impassable.

Look closely at the image above, on the right side of the above image, you can see wagon ruts.

Dome Rock Panorama

Very few pioneers who reached Scotts Bluff ever actually scaled the cliffs to see these amazing aerial views. I think it give an interesting perspective of the difficulties these pioneers faced driving a wagon train through this area. ​​Part of the Wildcat Hills, Scotts Bluff is an isolated remnant of the ancient high plains. 20 million years ago, the surfaces of the plains surrounding the bluff were the same height as the bluffs. About 5 million years ago, the Platte River and its tributaries began to erode the soil and rock creating these canyons that grew wider and wider.

Overlooking Scotts Bluff

From Scott's Bluff, it was a race against time to get across the Rocky Mountains before cold weather set in. The pioneers faced even more hardships on the way. Wagons began to break down. Food supplies diminished. Cattle and horses gave out. Many emigrants died along the way. ​

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

'Sunset at Scotts Bluff" on Metal Art

Bring your artwork to life with the stylish lines and added depth of a metal print. Your image gets printed directly onto a sheet of 1/16" thick aluminum. The aluminum sheet is offset from the wall by a 3/4" thick wooden frame which is attached to the back. The high gloss of the aluminum sheet complements the rich colors of any image to produce stunning results.

With my interior design background, I always take a special interest in any unique and interesting architecture. The Painted Churches of the Big Island certainly fall into that category. ​If you are an architecture and/or art lover, these churches are definitely a must see. Be aware, these churches don't give away any of their secrets on the exterior, it's necessary to go inside to discover their beauty!

Funny story, on one of our visits to St. Benedict's, my husband was out in their amazing garden mostly trying hard to stay out of my way. :-D He was enjoying the quiet and the birds when a car hurriedly wheeled into the parking lot. This guy jumped out of the car and loudly proclaimed, "I'm not sure why they call this the Painted Church, it's just white!" Before my husband could tell him to go inside, he was back in his car and had sped away.

St. Benedict Catholic Church, also known as the Painted Church dates all the way back to when Catholicism first came to South Kona in 1842. At that time, the church was sitting on the shore of Honaunau. However, by the mid-1880s, most Hawaiians had moved up the slopes of Mauna Loa for cooler temps and more fertile land. In 1899, when Father John Berchmans Velghe, a Sacred Hearts Belgium priest arrived, he decided to follow the residents up the volcano. He dismantled the church, moved it to its present location and repaired it to look like new.

​In 1902, the church was consecrated and named to honor Saint Benedict.

St. Benedict Catholic Church - Interior

Father Velghe, a self-taught artist did all the painting himself using ordinary house paint! Inspired by the Gothic Cathedral of Burgos in Spain, Father Velghe painted the area around the altar to replicate Burgos Cathedral. ​At the time, the pointed arch vaulted ceiling was considered a great architectural achievement. He painted the sky and palm fronds on the ceiling to give the church a distinct tropical Hawaiian flair. Each of the vaulted ceilings six supporting octagonal columns are painted to resemble marble with a white ribbon, bearing one of the mottos of St. Benedict’s medal. Above each window is a small panel containing a cruciform rosette, supported on each side by a twisted five-fingered shape derived from the fan ribbed groins once again reminiscent of Burgos Cathedral. There are 3 large ornate murals on each side of the church, reflecting scenes from the bible and religious life.

Sadly, Father Velghe’s health deteriorated and in 1904 he returned to Belgium leaving the painting at the back of the church unfinished.

St. Benedict Painted Church is listed on both the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. ​It is still an active church; check their website for mass times. It is available for public viewing during the day.

While I was on island, it was almost a three hour drive for me to attend mass here, otherwise, I would have love to have visited for the Hawaiian language mass that is said on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 7:15am. ​St. Benedict Catholic Church is located at 84-5140 Painted Church Road, Captain Cook, Hawaii

Star of the Sea Church

​Star of the Sea Church also known at the Kalapana Painted Church was built in 1928 by Belgian Catholic priest, Father Evarist Matthias Gielenas a mission of Sacred Heart Church in Pahoa about 10 miles away.

Constructed out of reclaimed lumber from older dilapidated churches this tiny pale green church is fairly plain on the outside, while the interior of the church is completely covered with beautiful vibrant murals.

Father Gielen is responsible for all the detailed paintings on the domed ceiling. It is said he painted those at night by the light of an oil lantern.

​​Two other artists are responsible for the rest of the murals:

Star of the Sea Church - Interior

In 1941, George Heidler from Athens, Georgia, painted the wooden panels (columns and drapery swags) on both sides of the church and also the altar area. These paintings tell the story of the life of Father Damien De Veuster who from 1864 to 1873 did missionary work in Kalapana. You may not have recognized him by his complete name but Father Damien is better known for overseeing the leprosy colony on the island of Molokai. After 16 years on Molokai, Father Damien contracted leprosy and eventually died from the disease in 1889. Father Damian was canonized by the Catholic Church in 2009 as Saint Damien of Molokai, the patron saint of lepers and outcasts.

Exiting Star of the Sea Church

In 1949, Father Joseph Avery, another priest of the church, commissioned the final artist, George Lorch, from Hilo to do a series of frescos inside the existing panels. These frescoes depict traditional beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church and are more instructional in nature. They feature things like the Seven Sacraments, the Holy Virgin Mary, the Saints and the Angels. George Lorch also painted the trompe l’oeil painting behind the alter.

Ka Rosario

​This is one of his paintings. It teaches how to pray the rosary. The instructions and prayers are all written in the Hawaiian language.

The Star of the Sea Church has had an interesting history. Originally built on the shoreline of Kaimu Black Sand Beach about 25 yards from the ocean, it was moved in 1990 to save it from advancing lava flow. It ended up abandoned along the side of the road and sat on wooden blocks for six years until a new permanent location could be found. During that time, the paintings suffered damage by weather and termites. It finally found its new home in 1996, but attempts to repair the church were to costly. It was finally placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 in order to save it.​Star of the Sea Church is located in at 12-4815 Pahoa Kalapana Rd, Pahoa, also known as Highway 130 it is between mile marker 19 and 20.

This church is no longer active. It is open to the public from 9 to 4 every day.

A little known fact to tourists, there is a third painted church on the Big Island. I only discovered it after I had gotten back to the mainland. St. Theresa Church is located at ​181355 Volcano Highway, Mountain View.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

"Wawaloli Beach Sunset" on Metal Art

Bring your artwork to life with the stylish lines and added depth of a metal print. Your image gets printed directly onto a sheet of 1/16" thick aluminum. The aluminum sheet is offset from the wall by a 3/4" thick wooden frame which is attached to the back. The high gloss of the aluminum sheet complements the rich colors of any image to produce stunning results.

Surf's Up - How fast a surfer drives when he hears the words, "surf's up". A 1951 Ford Country Squire at the 2016 Motor Muster

ATTENTION: Car Lovers, Auto Geeks and Gearheads...​

If you have never visited Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford for a car show, you don't know what you are missing!​

1955 Buick Special - The Special... Buick life, lift and luxury at lowest cost was the slogan for the Buick Special. This 1955 Buick pushed the style envelope and showed us what true automotive elegance could be. Buick fit nicely between Chevrolet and Cadillac. Although a Cadillac was a sign that you had made it, the Buick was the sign that you were on your way. This image was captured at the 2016 Motor Muster.

If you are not familiar with The Henry Ford, it is located in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It was founded by the automobile industrialist Henry Ford, who had a desire to preserve important properties and historically significance items that captured the history of life in early America. In the process, he created a history complex that is the largest indoor and outdoor history museum in the United States.

1955 Pontiac Star Chief - The 1955 Star Chief was completely redesigned and featured new V8 power, along with Pontiac's first application of a wrap-around windshield! The 1955 was very much a sight for sore eyes with fantastic two-tone paint and Silver Streaks running up the hood. Image captured at the 2016 Moter Muster.

​The Henry Ford has 2 huge car shows every year:​The Motor Muster onFather’s Day weekend. This show focuses on classic cars from the 1930s through the muscle cars of the 1970s. This is not a hot rod or custom car show. All cars must be in original or restored to original stock condition just like they would have been back in the day when they first rolled off the showroom floor.

The Old Car Festival is the longest running antique car show in America. It features authentic automobiles from the 1890s through 1932. These cars must also be in original or restored to original condition. This show is hosted thefirst weekend after Labor Day every year.

Old Chapel on the Green - Martha-Mary Chapel sits at the head of the village green at the highest point in Greenfield Village. Henry Ford had the chapel built in 1929 to honor his and his wife's mothers. This image was captured early in the morning at Greenfield Village's annual Old Car Festival in 2014.

Pair of Ford Model A - On the left is a Model A Coupe and on the right the Model A Tudor Sedan. The Model A was only built for four years, from 1928 to 1931. Image captured at the 2014 Old Car Festival.

What makes these two car shows so different from any other?​It’s not just about the cars. When these cars roll down the period-perfect streets of Greenfield Village, history comes to life! It’s a chance to see these automobiles in the setting where they belong. Add in the Greenfield Village employees and even some participants in period dress and it’s a trifecta of Americana that can only be visited through old photographs and movies.

1936 GMC T-14 was one of the many great classics on display at the 2016 Motor Muster.

Pierce-Arrow Model 33 Touring Car - The Pierce-Arrow line was completely overhauled at the beginning of the Roaring Twenties. By late 1921, the three chassis line was replaced with the Series 33 which remained its flagship model through the early 1926 production. All of the bodies were mounted on the same 138 inch wheelbase chassis. Because of this, prices for the Pierce-Arrow could be quoted for both complete cars and for extra bodies allowing the owner to have an open body for the summer and a closed one for winter time. Captured at the 2014 Old Car Festival.

1976 Silver Metallic Chevrolet Corvette Stingray - The 1976 Corvette sported a new hood design that directed air close to the front of the car at the radiator due to an annoying howl sound the old hood was known for. This Vette was on display at the 2016 Motor Muster.

Sunday Drive - The Ford Model T or Tin Lizzie as she was affectionately known was produced from 1908 to 1927. Until this car came out automobiles were considered extreme luxuries that were scarce and expensive. The Model T changed that making the dream of owning an automobile attainable by the common middle class American. This image was captured during the Model T Parade of Cars at the 2014 Old Car Festival.

Sunset Cruise - In 1927, Henry Ford released the Model A Sport Coupe, it created quite a frenzy throughout the country. There were even riots in a few US cities as 20 percent of the population at the time, almost 25 million people, attempted to get to their local Ford dealer to see the new car. Before long it was known as the "Baby Lincoln" because of its similar styling. This Model A image was captured during the 2014 Old Car Festival Sunset Drive.

1963 Chevrolet Corvair - There is plenty to like about the 1963 Chevrolet Corvair. Its styling is crisp and clean with a sporting flair that was not seen on other American compact cars. The forward slanting nose with its four small headlights and absence of a grille looked distinctive and fresh. The car's lines were taut and athletic, which was a welcome step away from the American excess of a few years before. It is a shame that the Corvair had dire design flaws that ultimately led to the car's end and what it is most famous for is being a car that was in Ralph Nader's book, Unsafe at Any Speed. This car represented Chevy's willingness to take risks and showed that they could step out of the box and create something distinctive while taking on a new class of cars, the compact. In the end Corvair became the car world's most successful failure. On display at the 2016 Motor Muster.

I have many more amazing images from the Motor Muster and Old Car Festival. They can be found in the Automotive Collection. My images were captured at the 2014 Old Car Festival and the 2016 Motor Muster.​

About the Photographer

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again, developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

"1964 Ford Galaxie 500XL" on Canvas

Bring your artwork to life with the texture and depth of a stretched canvas print. Your image gets printed onto one of our premium canvases and then stretched on a wooden frame of 1.5" x 1.5" stretcher bars (gallery wrap) or 5/8" x 5/8" stretcher bars (museum wrap). Your canvas print will be delivered to you "ready to hang" with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails.

A Day in the Shade - A mom and her 4 day old foal spend the day in the shade of an amazing old tree at the Ingalls Homestead.

​I have a confession to make; I was 50 before I read the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I can hear the collective gasp of all the shocked women that are currently reading this post….blasphemy, I KNOW! In my defense, when I was about the age when all the other little girls were madly absorbing these books, playing "Holly Hobbie" dress up and dreaming about being Laura, my local librarian marched me over to the adult section of the town’s public library and handed me an Agatha Christie novel. I never stepped foot in the children’s section of the library again.

When I look back, I’m really not sure what I was doing when the television series came out because I didn’t watch that either. Oh, I saw an episode or two but without the background of the books; I just really didn’t get it. Maybe, it was just too “girly” for me; I hated pink, didn’t play with dolls and was the only girl in my neighborhood with a complete football uniform, shoulder pads and all.

Needless to say, my husband was more than a bit skeptical when I tossed out the idea of driving up to DeSmet, South Dakota, for a “Little House on the Prairie” weekend.

Five of the nine Little House books were based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life while she was living in DeSmet, South Dakota. She and her family moved to the DeSmet area in 1879 at the beginning of the book, By the Shores of Silver Lake and she spent her teenage years living here.

Our First Stop was the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society at 105 Olivet Ave SE. ​Be sure to pick up a map of all the downtown locations and if you have the time, take the guided tour.A couple of significant buildings have been moved onto the Memorial Society property. They even have a recreation of the Brewster School where Laura first taught. After a tour of the interiors of these buildings, we followed the tour guide over to the Ingalls Home that Charles built in town. ​

The Surveyors House

In the book, By the Shores of Silver Lake, Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about living in this house the first winter the Ingalls family spent on the Dakota Prairies. Charles Ingalls was working for the railroad and the family moved into the Surveyors House for that first winter in South Dakota. ​It is the oldest building in DeSmet. The railroad built this railroad company house on the north shore of Silver Lake around 1879, a year before there was even a town located here. It was then moved into town in 1884.

According to Pa’s journal, the Ingalls family moved in on December 1, 1879. The family only spent their first winter in the house. After that, the house often served as a hotel for the many homesteaders coming through the area.

The first school of DeSmet was attended by Laura Ingalls Wilder and her sister Carrie from 1880 through 1881. The building was brand new when they started attending school. The citizens of the city provided all the materials and built it themselves but the school was too small and the town quickly outgrew it after the first year.

​​In the book, The Long Winter, Laura describes the first time she saw the schoolhouse with her sister, Carrie:

It as a building standing all by itself. It had windows on each side, a stovepipe that wasn’t in use at the time and a boarded in entry. All the desks were patent desks made from wood, varnished as smooth as glass and had black iron feet. A large heating stove stood in the middle of the room.

First School of DeSmet

Little Coatroom on the Prairie

​​Laura Ingalls Wilder describes this coatroom at the first school of DeSmet in her book, The Long Winter:

There was no time to say anymore for the teacher came to the door with the hand bell, and they all went in the school. They hung their coats and hoods on a row of nails in the entry where a broom stood in the corner by the water pail on the bench. Then they all went into the schoolroom.

First School of DeSmet Interior

Only used one year, by 1885, it had been sold and remodeled into a house. Many families lived in it over the years. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Society purchased the home in 1999 and restored it to the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The original chalkboards were found under many layers of wallpaper. ​

Brewster School

​This building is a recreation of Brewster School, the first school where Laura Ingalls Wilder taught after earning her teaching certificate at the age of sixteen. Brewster School was located 12 miles southwest of DeSmet.

A quote from, These Happy Golden Years, about Laura teaching at Brewster School:

​Only yesterday she was a schoolgirl, now she was a school teacher. This had happened so suddenly. But tomorrow she would be teaching at Brewster settlement. It was twelve miles from town and Laura did not know what it would be like. She did not know anyone there.

Inside Brewster School

It was the first time Laura had slept away from home and living with the Brewster family while teaching at the school was very trying. Mrs. Brewster was apparently clinically depressed and one night Laura awoke to find Mrs. Brewster threatening her husband with a knife.​It was during this time that Laura and her future husband, Almanzo Wilder, started courting. Laura was miserable but every Friday, no matter what the weather Almanzo Wilder arrived to take Laura home to her family for the weekend. Laura was determined to finish out the term as the money she earned helped to send Mary to the College of the Blind in Iowa.

Ingalls Home

The Ingalls home that Pa built in town was started in 1887. In the beginning it only had three rooms. The rest of the house was built one room at a time as money, time and weather permitted. The 5 bedroom home was finally completed in 1889. The house stands in its original location. All windows, doors, woodwork, siding, hinges and interior windows are original. The cupboards that Pa built for Ma are still in the kitchen.

Laura never actually lived in this house. She married Almanzo Wilder in 1885 and they were living on their own homestead while Pa was building it. This house was never mentioned in any of the Little House books.

In October of 1901, Laura’s youngest sister, Grace was married in the parlor.

A year later in 1902, Pa passed away of a heart attack. Ma and Mary rented out the upstairs part of the house for extra income after that. In 1918, Ma became ill. She passed away on Easter Sunday in 1924.

After Ma passed, Mary decided to visit Carrie in Keystone, South Dakota. Mary suffered a stroke while in Keystone and passed away in 1928. She never returned to this house.

Carrie inherited the house. In 1944, she decided to rent it out but later sold it to the Ferguson family.

On the Open Prairie

This was the spot where the homestead claim shanty of Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder stood. The shanty was located on the hilltop.

It was the birthplace of the Laura Ingalls Wilder’s only surviving child, Rose Wilder Lane. Mrs. Lane became a well-known novelist, journalist and political essayist. Her last reporting assignment took her to Viet Nam in 1965, where at 78 she was the oldest war correspondent. Rose was the one responsible for convincing her mother, Laura Ingalls Wilder, to write the Little House books.

This is where the Wilder's lived during their early married life, experiencing the fire that destroyed their home, the death of an infant son and other natural disasters which were part of the daily lives of the South Dakota pioneers.

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about the pioneering life:

No one who has not pioneered can understand the fascination and terror of it.

This shanty and livestock barn sits on the homestead of Charles Ingalls. Laura Ingalls Wilder lived on this property from the age of 13 through 18 when she and Almanzo Wilder married on August 25, 1885. In 1886, Charles filed final papers and put the declaration in the DeSmet News. This 157.25 acre homestead cost Charles and Caroline $16.00 in filing fees.

​The rest of the family lived on the homestead for eight years until Charles was so tired of struggling to make a living off the land that he sold the homestead and they moved into the house that Pa built in town.

The Ingalls Homestead

Like many other settlers arriving in the 1880s, free land was what lured the Ingalls family to the Dakota Territory. Charles Ingalls filed on this homestead at the land office in Brookings in February of 1880 and built a small shanty in preparation for the family to live there.

In the spring of 1880, they moved out to the quarter-section of land that Pa chose as his homestead. The location of the Ingalls Homestead met their wishes for it is only a mile from DeSmet. This land was perfect in many ways. It had good water and he could easily dig a well. The family lived and worked the homestead except for the winter months of 1880-1881 and 1881-1882 when they moved into town in the room above Pa's store.​

Ma's Little House

Pa built the families claim shanty in three stages.

Stage One – In the spring of 1880, he built a half-house of 140 square feet for his family of six. Laure described it as having a slanted roof.

Stage Two – In 1881, he added the second half, an addition of another 140 square feet. Laura wrote that the new part created two tiny bedrooms each with a window.

Stage Three – While attending the Iowa School for the Blind, Mary learned to play the organ. Pa and Laura worked and saved money to purchase a pump organ as a surprise for Mary’s homecoming.

Pa built a 12 foot by 16 foot addition to make room for the new organ. Once completed, Ma declared that the shanty was now a real home.

The reconstruction of the Ingall's claim shanty was built according to the description Pa provided in his proving up papers. Filling the Testament of Claimant forms was required to obtain ownership of a homestead claim.

It is laundry day at Ma’s little house. An old washboard, tub and ringer are set just outside of the claim shanty while rags are drying on the line.

Ma had a strict weekly routine:​Wash on MondayIron on TuesdayMend on WednesdayChurn on ThursdayClean on FridayBake on SaturdayRest on Sunday

Monday

The Livestock Barn

The horse drawn wagon at the livestock barn, gives rides out to the one room school house on the opposite side of the property.

Out the Barn Window

One Room Shoolhouse

This one room schoolhouse sits on the Charles Ingalls Homestead. Complete with a teeter-totter and American flag. It was placed here to house the Laura Ingalls Wilder Traveling Exhibit.

Prairie Girl

​Every little girl dreams of being Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie! These colorful little calico “prairie girl” dresses and sunbonnets were hanging neatly on hooks in the back of one of the schoolhouses just tempting all the little girls to try them on. It made me wish that I was 8 years old again!

At the time we traveled to DeSmet, I was not aware that there is a historic byway called the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway. This drivw links all the sites that Laura and her family lived in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota. The Little House on the Prairie website has a wealth of information with all the historic locations listed.

I have since read all the books and I am an avid fan! I'm planning to conquer the television series next.

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process she found her “roots” again, by developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that eventually evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.

See an image you like? You can purchase Susan's work in The Art Gallery. All images in the her collection are available as wall art, fine art prints, on home decor, gift items and apparel.

"Prairie Girl" Framed Art Print

Bring your print to life with hundreds of different frame and mat combinations. Our framed prints are assembled, packaged, and shipped by our expert framing staff and delivered "ready to hang" with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails.